


Summer Cold

by oneill



Category: Natsume Yuujinchou | Natsume's Book of Friends
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-04
Updated: 2013-09-04
Packaged: 2017-12-25 15:42:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/954862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oneill/pseuds/oneill
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for the fic_promptly prompt: Natsume Yuujinchou, Touko+Natsume, Touko's sick and Natsume takes care of her</p>
            </blockquote>





	Summer Cold

"Really, Takashi-kun, it's just a silly cold," Touko said. "You don't need to worry about me. Go have fun with your friends."

"I don't mind, Touko-san," Natsume said, replacing the cold compress on her forehead and giving her an uncertain smile. It seemed such a poor repayment for everything the Fujiwaras had done for him, but it was _something_ , at least. "Just rest for today, all right?"

He decided to make okayu for lunch. He had to guess at the proportions and thought he may have added a little too much water. Would it turn out all right? He left the rice over a low flame and went to hang up a load of laundry, put another in the wash, and change Touko's compress again. By the time he got back to the kitchen, the okayu had boiled over to coat the outside of the pot in a thin layer of starch, while within it had cooked down to something that looked like mushy steamed rice.

Natsume hurriedly turned off the stove and wiped it clean. Could he salvage the okayu by adding more water? He thought he remembered hearing that you could use leftover rice to make it. Maybe that was just zosui, though.

He turned the fire back on anyway, dumped in another bowl of water, and attempted to stir the rice into it. It resisted at first, remaining a solid disk on the bottom of the pot. As the fresh water grew warmer, however, the rice gradually broke apart--first into small clumps, then into individual grains, before finally settling into something vaguely porridge-like.

"Looks bland," said an all-too-familiar voice from the open window. "Add some mackerel or cuttlefish or something."

"Okayu is _meant_ to be plain, Sensei."

Then again, Touko only had a mild cold. She might want something a little more substantial. Checking the refrigerator, Natsume found some turnip and radish greens. He chopped up a small handful of each and stirred them into the pot, followed by a dash of soy sauce and a pinch of dried wakame. Once the greens seemed more or less cooked, he stirred in an egg.

The okayu still looked kind of plain, once Natsume had poured it into a bowl. He sprinkled a bit of furikake over the top, set the bowl on a tray, and grabbed a spoon from the drawer.

In the master bedroom, Touko sat up, smiling as she accepted the tray.

"Well, the rice probably tastes a little burnt," Natsume said. His cheeks grew warm as she took the spoon in hand. "I overcooked it. Um. I also added a bunch of things I probably shouldn't have, so--"

"It's delicious," Touko said. She scooped up a second spoonful. "Thank you!"

Natsume smiled gratefully and knelt beside her. They talked about everyday trifles--pausing now and then to enjoy the soft _chirin-rin-rin_ of the wind chime--until Touko had finished every last bite.


End file.
